The sun, now fully visible, cast its rays of light over the kingdom of Apocalis, ushering in a new day. Raignald watched as Abdullah walked away, following his own path back to his homeland, and felt a touch of sadness knowing he wouldn’t see him again for a while, a melancholy smile crossing his face. He had been more like an older brother than just a butler.

“Good morning, Master Raignald!” exclaimed a guard standing at the mansion gates. “Do you require an escort for your journey?”

An armor of silvery metal covered his body and legs with artistic craftsmanship, adorned with golden lines and elegant curves. The Boletara family crest shone at the center of his chestplate, symbolizing his loyalty: a bird with outstretched wings and a star above its head. His helmet covered his eyes and the upper part of his head, leaving his mouth free for comfort. In his right hand, a red halberd stood out.

“Thank you very much, but that won’t be necessary.” Raignald no longer needed such luxuries. Besides, he was no longer part of the family. “From now on, I’ll learn to defend myself.”

“Understood, sir. But… did your father give you permission?”

Raignald sighed, as a family rule forbade him from going out alone without permission—at least until he turned eighteen, which had already happened. Even so, he felt a twinge of disappointment knowing such rules had kept him from so much.

“I’m old enough now. I turned eighteen yesterday,” he clarified with a smile.

“Oh, my apologies then.” The guard bowed in a gesture of apology. “I forgot yesterday was your birthday. Congratulations! I won’t hold you up—go ahead.” He extended his arm, gesturing with an open hand for him to proceed.

Raignald gave a slight nod and began walking toward the streets.

He was already familiar with the area, where the streets were impeccably clean and hundreds of colorful flowers served as decoration. People walked about dressed elegantly, with tailored suits, long dresses, and gleaming jewelry. Eye-catching carriages, painted in vivid colors, were drawn by majestic noble horses, trotting slowly without disturbing the townsfolk.

He continued walking toward the wall that separated the upper district from the middle. He already knew the way, though it was a bit far from his home, so a horse would have been useful. Still, he decided to go on foot to stretch his legs.

As he walked, a carriage passed nearby, escorted by a group of knights of noble bearing. They all wore light purple armor, matching the ornaments of the horses.

“Raignald?” A young, soft female voice called from inside the carriage. “Is that you?”

“Nastasia?” He stopped by the carriage, eyes wide, gaze fixed on the door. He recognized the voice like a gentle breeze from the past.

A guard approached, the sound of metal armor clinking with each step, and carefully opened the door. From inside, she emerged, descending slowly, resting her hand gently on the guard’s, who held it carefully.

She truly had an unmatched beauty, and Raignald hadn’t seen her in quite some time. He stood still, glancing up and down, admiring the striking lilac color that adorned her—even her long skirted dress.

“It’s been so long! I didn’t expect to run into you so early,” Nastasia smiled, resting her hands on her hips. “What’s with all that luggage? Oh, and that sword?” she paused as she noticed it, beginning to piece together what had happened.

“I didn’t expect this either, but honestly, I’m glad to see you,” Raignald smiled, his heart lightening at the sight of his childhood friend. “All this has an explanation, but it’s a bit long. In short… I’ve chosen my path as a young man, and I’m going to become a knight. I’m headed to the Central Hunters’ Zone.”

“Oh wow…” Nastasia brushed her chin with two fingers. “I was actually on my way to your house to congratulate you, but I see that won’t be necessary. Come on, hop in the carriage—I’ll take you to the gates of the wall,” she offered, taking his hand.

“That’s not necessary!” he exclaimed with a smile, his cheeks slightly flushed as he tried to resist her grip.

“Oh, come on! We haven’t seen each other in months and you’re already this shy? Besides, I want you to tell me everything,” she crossed her arms and glanced toward the carriage, “this little trip will at least save me from boredom. And on top of that, I’m worrying about you.”

Raignald sighed, raised his shoulders, and slightly spread his arms, accepting that it was a good option.

“Alright then, hop in—we’ll get there faster,” Nastasia insisted as she climbed in first.

“Alright, alright…” he followed her with a smile on his lips.

The interior had seats upholstered in purple and curtains covering the windows. She sat on one side, looking at Raignald as she waited. He chose the seat across from her, placing his backpack and sword between his legs. With the weapon upright, he rested his hands on the pommel.

“To the gates of the wall!” she ordered the escort outside, and instantly the carriage began to move.

The wheels rolled firmly over the path, so smooth that the friction was barely noticeable. The two of them sat in silence for a few seconds, waiting for someone to break it. Raignald looked at his equipment, toying with the sword, while Nastasia watched the gentle sunlight filter through the curtains.

“So,” she began, a faint smile on her lips, “how did you get your parents to let you go? As far as I know, they hate the idea of you wielding a sword.”

“That’s the complicated part…” Raignald said, without lifting his gaze from the floor.

“Complicated? Oh,” she widened her eyes slightly, giving his words more attention, “did you leave them?”

“More or less. They expelled me,” he raised his gaze, his eyes downcast but with a faint smile. “Or at least that’s what my mother decided. They’ll never support me.”

Nastasia’s lips curved into a somber expression.

“That must hurt. I really thought you’d reach some sort of agreement eventually.”

“Don’t worry,” Raignald forced a smile, though inside, he felt a warm comfort in having someone to share his burdens with. “This is what I’ve decided, and if they won’t accept me, one day I’ll show them just how wrong they were.”

“So, you’re on your own. And what about Abdullah? You always told me how good he was, how he was the only one who supported you.”

Raignald slowly unsheathed the sword, stopping when just half of the blade showed, revealing the Arabic inscription.

“This is a gift from him.” The metal reflected the sunlight.

“No doubt,” Nastasia smiled, feeling the warmth of friendship, “he has a heart of gold. You were right to hold on to him.” She examined the sword’s craftsmanship closely. “It’s beautiful, and that engraving is very artistic. What does it mean?”

“Hope of the Dawn. Written in his language, though I can’t remember what it was called…” his gaze settled on her. “It’s certainly a beautiful script. I’ll wield it with honor.” He sheathed the sword.

Nastasia smiled, recalling moments when she saw the two of them together like brothers. Abdullah was always behind him, watching over and worrying for him. At parties, dances…

“Now, you’ll finally be able to do what you always wanted. Oh, by the way,” her purple eyes locked onto Raignald’s, “your parents must have mentioned the union of our families.”

His eyes widened as he remembered the arranged marriage they had planned.

“Ah, about that… I didn’t want to force something neither of us understood… it’s not about you—”

“It’s okay,” she interrupted with a calm smile, “I wouldn’t want to marry for money either, much less without love.”

“Oh, wow…” he relaxed his arms, letting out a breath. “But don’t get me wrong…” he straightened his back, regaining his composure, “you really are beautiful—it’s just that I never felt that connection between us…” He fell silent, realizing what he’d just said.

Nastasia only looked at him with a gentle smile and half-closed eyes, shining with a playful glint. Then she let out a small laugh.

“Thank you, really. It makes me happy to hear that from you. And I understand—we never really tried to go down that path. But I think that’s the fault of our families.” She turned her gaze to the curtains and, with a slight motion, lifted the fabric to peek outside. “Their thirst for grandeur has kept us from truly getting to know each other.”

Raignald relaxed once more, looking down at the backpack between his legs.

“It was always forced dances, or dinners where they deliberately seated us together,” Raignald said, “but at least we’ve built a true friendship.” He raised his gaze and fixed it on her. “Remember? When we lay together in the garden, sharing our dreams for the future.”

“Yes,” she laughed softly, covering her mouth with her fingers, “it was during that celebration at my parents’ mansion. We snuck away together because the party bored us so much. I think that was the only moment we were truly alone.”

“Only to be caught and scolded afterward…” he paused for a moment, breaking the silence with a warm laugh. “But it was worth it.”

“You’re right. Even though our parents had their own ideas, we ended up building a bond in our own way. And now, at last, you’re turning eighteen and can follow your own path. I’ve already decided mine.” Nastasia crossed her arms, looking at Raignald with a calm smile.

“Ah, that’s true—you turn a few months before me. What did you decide?” asked Raignald, settling his back against the seat.

“I’ve decided to continue with what I’ve been studying. I’ll dedicate myself to the study of mana.” Her tone was firm, but her eyes showed restrained excitement.

“Wow… that’s a pretty broad field, isn’t it? It’s the study of the energy source that encompasses everything,” Raignald said, furrowing his brow thoughtfully.

“That’s right. It’s always fascinated me. With mana, you can learn about so many things.” Nastasia grew animated, her hands moving in rhythm with her words. “There are theories that say it’s like a living being. Some believe it’s a single entity, spread throughout the universe. Others think it’s a collection of microorganisms scattered in the same way.”

“I’ve read about that too. For example, the theory that it’s a single being… referring to some kind of consciousness. But it’s strange to understand, isn’t it? Mana is invisible, like air, and besides…”

The conversation flowed on for quite some time. Nastasia spoke with passion, revealing everything she knew, while Raignald, a bit more reserved, contributed details he had read. Still, the tone remained light and cheerful.